The Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2026 strengthens federal support for small business counseling and training programs by expanding their authority to market services, collect fees from private partnerships, and use grant funds more flexibly. The bill affects small business development centers, women's business centers, and SCORE chapters across the country by allowing them to spend up to 10 percent of grant funds on marketing and streamlining the process for contract approvals at the Small Business Administration. The legislation authorizes $175 million annually for formula grants to states through fiscal year 2029 and requires the SBA to submit detailed annual reports on program outcomes including counseling hours provided, participant demographics, businesses started, and jobs created. The bill also establishes a Data Collection Working Group to develop better methods for tracking program performance and requires congressional notification before the SBA establishes any new entrepreneurial development programs, ensuring accountability while maintaining flexibility for existing centers to serve their communities more effectively.
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